


Magic Speaks

by ihrt



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: British Sign Language, Deaf Ron Weasley, Ron Weasley is a Good Friend, Ron Weasley-centric, Smart Ron Weasley, Supportive Weasley Family, The Golden Trio
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-10
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:14:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27492523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ihrt/pseuds/ihrt
Summary: Magic can fix almost everything, keyword almost but it can't fix what was never there like Ron's hearing. He was born Deaf and while the rest of the wizarding world was ready to throw him away, the Weasley's have never known to give up. What changes? Well, a few things.Ron stared with wide eyes at the Hogwarts letter, hardly believing that it was addressed specifically to him. He caught mum’s pleased smile out of the corner of his eye and met her gaze. He hesitated before he phrased his question with his hand gestures, signing ‘I’m really allowed to go?’Mum’s eyes watered she gestured as she spoke “of course, you're a wizard, you can still do magic.”
Comments: 14
Kudos: 159





	Magic Speaks

Ron stared with wide eyes at the Hogwarts letter, hardly believing that it was addressed specifically to him. He caught mum’s pleased smile out of the corner of his eye and met her gaze. He hesitated before he phrased his question with his hand gestures, signing ‘I’m really allowed to go?’

Mum’s eyes watered she gestured as she spoke “of course, you're a wizard, you can still do magic.”

Ron’s own eyes watered and he furiously wiped a tear, he didn’t think he’d get to go so he never dared to ask his parents about it. He was Deaf and speaking didn’t come easy so he never spoke if he could avoid it, he felt made him sound stupid. 

He felt his mom tap him gently before bringing him into a hug, he let her know he may get teased by his siblings later but didn’t care, he was going to Hogwarts. 

XXX

Today was the day, he quickly dressed and packed the rest of his things in his trunk and carried it with a little bit of effort downstairs. He smelled the bacon, eggs, and toast coming from the kitchen and walked to the living room. 

While he dug in, Fred, George, and Ginny came down to eat as well and eventually Percy. “Excited to fight a troll?” Fred asked with his signing of a troll being hanging his hands like claws and then making a face. 

Ron scowled and pointed at them and then made a V with pointer and middle finger then put it on his forehead. His face said it all even without the symbol though, clearly saying what he meant without a voice. Ron was nothing if not expressive.

“Ron” his mom gave him a look of disapproval and then signed “don’t call your brothers stupid.” 

Ron continued eating, ignoring the looks of his brother’s laughing, undeterred by his displeasure at their teasing. He was more nervous about making friends then whatever was at the sorting, he’d been told many times that it wasn’t a troll. His hands felt restless. He was also assured by Professor McGonagall who had personally come to assure him that accommodations would be made about his schooling to assure that he could attend learn along with his classmates. 

After everyone was finished Ron stood, preparing to take his plate “wait before we go, your father has a gift for you” his mother signed quickly.

Ron turned to his dad who smiled and handed him a box wrapped in brown paper. Ron back down and his siblings, even Percy leaned in with intrigue. Ron tore open the paper and open the box. Two necklaces with black leather chain lay inside the box, the chains attached to two polished blue stones. 

“I was able to convince the Department of Mysteries to allow you special permission of these stones. They have the ability to connect to each other, if you wear one necklace and someone else wears the other then you speak to each other in your mind or if someone speaks out loud you can hear it in your head,” his father signed quickly. 

Ron’s eyes widened and put one around his neck and Ginny immediately grabbed the other and put it around her neck “Ron, can you hear me?” she asked, bring her hands up before she put them in her lap remembering she shouldn’t need to. 

Ron sucked in a breath in surprise at Ginny’s voice. It was lower than he’d always thought it would be. He nodded “I can hear you” he attempted to say in his head and Ginny beamed. Her eyes shone brightly.

“Dad, it’s wonderful,” Ginny said out loud while signing, out of instinct.

Ron nodded in a daze then stood to go to his father and hugged him tightly. Once he stepped away “I’m so glad, I wanted there to be a way for you to speak with your friends without having to write it out all the time” he signed “it will also be used when you go to class, you have your teachers wear it when they are teaching.”

“It made me really happy to hear Ginny’s voice, I’ll try it with you and mum when I get back” Ron signed and his hair was ruffled. The car ride there, the necklace was passed around between Fred, George, and Percy.

“It’s funny, your voice is just as stuffy as I thought it might be” Ron signed as he spoke in his head so that everyone else could understand. Percy huffed and the rest of them laughed. Ron knew this was the best gift he could have ever gotten in the world. 

XXX

Ron carried the other amulet on the train after he said goodbye to his mum and Ginny. The twins and Percy said he’d have to find a friend on his own so he shuffled around trying to find a compartment not full of people. 

His hands shook a bit as wandered down the train corridor. He stopped when he recognized the boy at the entrance to 9 ¾ and slid the door open. The boy turned, waiting for him to speak, Ron pulled out his wand and quickly spelled in the air. ‘Do you mind? Everywhere else is full.'

It was the one spell his parents taught him out of necessity. The boy shook his head “not at all,” he said, Ron could read lips. He gestured to the empty seat across from him. Ron smiled and then sat down across from him. Ron drew in the air again “I’m Deaf so I can’t hear but I do have a way you can speak to me,” after he spelled it, he held out the amulet. His smile felt very wobbly.

The boy leaned in and took it, Ron gestured to his own and the boy put it around his neck. “I’m Ron Weasley, by the way,” Ron said in his mind. 

“Harry, Harry Potter,” the boy said out loud but Ron heard it in his head, Ron gasped.

“Do you have the scar?” he asked leaning in with wide eyes, signing without realizing it and he put his hands down, going red. He'd never had to not sign while he spoke.

“Oh,” Harry chuckled and brushed his bangs back showing the scar and Ron leaned back. 

“Wicked” Ron said, Harry turned suddenly and Ron reacted with him to see the door had opened and the lady with the trolley was there. 

Ron shook his head then looked dejected at his sandwich, he’d smashed it quite a bit on accident earlier

“We’ll take the lot,” Harry said and Ron looked surprised then smiled. Ron explained the candy to Harry who looked amazed. “Hey Ron, do you mind if I ask you something?” Harry asked. 

“Sure” Ron nodded as he thought it. 

“Um, so far most wizards I’ve seen use incantations to do spells. How will you do magic at Hogwarts if you can’t speak?” Harry wondered.  
Ron nodded, understanding “nonverbal spells are usually for more advanced witches and wizards. Typically Aurors or magical law enforcement use them but I will be using that. This amulet should also make things a little easier but strictly speaking, I’ll need to work harder than anyone else at spells” he explained. 

“Wow,” Harry said. 

“I’m only Deaf though, I’m actually not mute but um I don’t speak so much because well I can’t quite pronounce things sometimes. My siblings all sign anyway so I’ve never really needed to speak” Ron explained further. 

“Sign?” Harry asked “Could you show me how?” he asked. 

Ron's heart gave an excited flutter, Harry was willing to learn so he could talk to him. Ron turned as he saw the door slide open again. A girl with bushy brown hair stood at the door and spoke very quickly, he only caught ‘seen’ and ‘toad.’

Harry shook his head “haven’t seen one” he said.

“Thanks anyway, so have you two pulled out any spells recently?” she asked, eyeing the wand beside Ron. He was barely getting a grasp on her fast way of speaking so it was all he could do to pay attention. 

“Er no,” Harry said “were we supposed to?” he asked Ron who shook his head. 

“Well I’ve been looking at basic spell books and I’ve been rather successful” the girl walked in, pointed her wand at Harry, and said words that Ron couldn’t read on her lips. Harry’s glasses were instantly fixed and he took them off in surprise and looked to Ron who shared his shock. 

She turned to Harry and said something that Ron failed to read her lips. He frowned and then she turned to him saying “And you are?”

Ron frowned as he took out his wand and spelled his name and swiped his wand in the air so that she could read it. Her eyes went wide and she looked quite surprised. “Are you mute?” she asked, “how are you ever going to do spells?” 

Ron glared at her and turned away from her, the easiest way for him to ignore someone. Very rude but it made his stomach drop and twist. “Ron, she’s gone,” Harry said, he looked up. “I don’t think meant to say that, she looked like she just blurted out whatever came to mind.”

“Doesn’t mean it wasn’t a horrible thing to say, being Deaf doesn’t mean I’m stupid,” Ron said. 

“Well, I know you’re not stupid so let’s just forget about her, okay?” Harry asked, Ron nodded. Soon, the train pulled into the Hogwarts station and a new nervousness took over him. His sorting. “Do you need your amulet back?” Harry asked, holding it up. 

“No, it’s fine but if you could nudge me when my name is called and um tell which house I was sorted into when it says so, that’d be helpful. If we do get into different houses I’d like my amulet back though, my teachers need to use it for my classes” Ron explained. 

Ron met Hagrid, they went on boats to Hogwarts which was even bigger than Ron ever imagined. As they came into the hall, Ron felt a little more nervous, he had explained that many witches and wizards had gone bad in Slytherin to Harry but he still felt nervous about getting sorted anywhere except Gryffindor. 

It did get worse then when Draco Malfoy started speaking to Harry then. Ron glared at him “I don’t need to ask who you are, do I? Red hair and a hand me down robe, you must be a Weasley.” Ron didn’t make a comment and watched as Harry declined Malfoy’s hand and rejected him. He hoped he and Harry would continue to be friends, he liked his new friend.

Finally, they entered the great hall and he watched as the bushy-haired girl went up to get sorted and went over to the Gryffindor table. He huffed, brave enough to call him stupid. Harry nudged him and he went up, sitting on the chair and the hat went onto his head. 

“Very tactical mind and stealthy, I almost had a mind to put you in Ravenclaw for your raw intelligence but no, your destiny belongs somewhere else,” the hat conveyed in his mind, huh, he guessed Harry didn’t need to tell him. “Gryffindor” he shouted. Ron smiled at Harry and went over to the table. 

“Good luck,” Ron said in his mind and Harry looked back at him and smiled.

“Thanks.” Harry walked up to the hat once he was called and Ron waited as he saw the hat make the move of yelling but he couldn’t read the hat since it didn’t have lips but he grinned as Harry walked to the Gryffindor table.

XXX  
Ron and Harry hadn’t overslept but they had gotten lost in this huge castle. So arriving a little late to transfiguration, they thought they’d gotten off easy except McGonagall transformed into a cat. 

Ron spelled out with his wand that it was amazing and McGonagall thanked him. Ron turned to Harry who took off the amulet and McGonagall put it on. “I presume you can hear me now, Mr. Weasley?” her prim voice asked. 

“Perfectly professor,” he said in his mind. 

“Wonderful, I both expect both of you on time from now on, now that you know your way,” she said then marched to the front of the class as they settled in. Ron took vigorous notes, he vowed when he got to Hogwarts he’d work harder than anyone else to prove he belonged here. 

After class, he walked to the Professor and she handed him the amulet and he nodded then went on his way with Harry. Ron wasn’t looking forward to his next class, potions, he was told that the professor was horrible but he was assured by McGonagall that the professors would be obliging to help with his classes. 

He clutched his note and he and Harry arrived early and handed Professor Snape the note. The hooked nosed man read it then held out his hand, Ron put the amulet in his hand and he placed it around his neck. “So you are the Weasley that has been given special allowances,” he said. 

Ron had been expecting the unpleasantness so he just nodded. “Then I expect excellent work Weasley,” he said then turned and marched away to start class. 

Harry looked a little annoyed but Ron shook his head “don’t antagonize him” he wrote in his notebook. Unfortunately, the class didn’t go very well for Harry whom the professor some kind of vendetta against. Ron was of course angry about it since that was completely unfair but he said nothing as he retrieved the amulet from Snape. 

Ron ran after Harry then placed the amulet over Harry’s neck as he caught up with him. “I’m sorry, Harry, I can’t believe how horrible he was to you” he conveyed.

“I don’t get it, it’s not like I grew up knowing I was famous” Harry said as they walked in the great hall to have lunch. 

“Don’t worry about it so much, he’s just a git” Ron told him and Harry nodded. They sat down to eat lunch and Ron ate with gusto. Harry turned and Ron turned to see what he was looking at and his expression turned cold as he saw Malfoy standing there.

He swallowed his food and set it down “I heard that the Ron Weasley’s Deaf, Hogwarts really has hit new lows with Dumbledore around” Ron went rigid.

Harry's brows turned down and he was glaring icily as he stood. It was suddenly chaotic, Fred, George, and Percy were at his side quickly. All of them looked like they could kill. 

The rest in his year looked confused “better go back to your table before I have to give my brothers a detention for assaulting a first-year” Percy was surprisingly the first to speak, angling his face so Ron could read his lips.

Ron didn’t usually like to sign in public but he made a statement with his hands quickly “it’s alright to sign, the whole school will know pretty soon, it’s pointless to hide it anymore.” 

They all nodded except Harry who didn’t understand but Ron met his gaze “I’ll explain later” he said in his mind. 

“He can’t even do magic so he doesn’t belong here” Draco mouthed off. 

“He’s a wizard, you idiot, of course, he can” Fred signed while he spoke, livid.

“Back off like we said, Malfoy or we’ll make you” George signed as he spoke.

“Fine, but your brother better watch his back and you too, Potter” Malfoy turned and stalked away. As soon as he left, Ron collected his stuff and strode out of the hall, he didn’t feel like dealing with the questions at the moment. 

“Ron, wait” Ron paused to let Harry catch up, 

“It’s alright, I expected it would come out soon, people already noticed I never speak. I just didn’t want to deal with it right now, you can go and finish lunch if your still hungry,” Ron said.

“It’s fine but…” Harry grinned “I really think I need to learn sign language now, your brothers are amazing, they’re so fast.”

“They’ve only been signing for about 11 years” Ron joked “come on, we have time before our next class, I’ll show you some basic signs.”

“Brilliant,” Harry said. 

XXX

Harry was a pretty fast learner, able to memorize about ten different signs from Ron before they had to go to their next class. Ron had to sit next to the bushy-haired girl who Harry had explained was ‘Hermione Granger.’ Hermione looked very dejected as well at sitting next to him but he ignored her. 

He just took notes and concentrated on just focusing on Flitwick’s explanation of the spell. Ron was having trouble with his spell. Harry tapped Ron on the shoulder, he turned and Harry pointed to Hermione.

She turned to her paper and held up what she wrote “your movement isn’t right, you need to flick your wand to the side a little faster” she said.

Ron wanted to tell her he didn’t need her help but didn’t feel like writing it down. He tried it and the feather floated like he was supposed to, he smiled. 

“Good work, Mr. Weasley, ten points for Gryffindor” Professor Flitwick said, he smiled at him. 

Ron hesitated then spelled out with his wand, ‘thanks.’ Hermione perked a little bit and nodded. 

XXX

Hermione wished she’d never said such a mean thing to Ron Weasley, the moment she’d said it she’d regretted. It was so horridly stupid of her and Ron had his guard up around since she’d met him. 

Ron was smart as well, she’d seen how many notes he took, how he acted like classes were his lifeline. Despite his disability, he had friends, Harry and he were best friends. 

She wondered how Harry got to know him so well when she had trouble figuring how to speak with him. He understood her on that train so easily so maybe he read lips but she shouldn’t assume that. She didn’t know sign language but she was surprised when she’d first seen Ron speaking with his brothers one day. Their hand signals were so fast, she couldn’t imagine how tough it would be to learn. 

But Ron didn’t like her so that ship sailed or so she thought. Ron ignored her like most people did but if she offered advice on spells he took it and thanked her. Maybe he didn’t hate her as she thought. 

“Harry” she walked up to Harry in the common room while Ron had gone somewhere and Harry looked up from his homework. 

“Er, yes Hermione?” he asked. 

“I- could I ask you something?” she asked. Harry nodded, turning in his seat to look at her. “I was wondering how, well, when you speak to Ron how do you do it? Does he write in the air and then you write or?” She trailed off.

Harry hesitated “um, no Ron can read lips usually. So long as you aren't speaking a mile a minute, he’s told me if he can’t read people it’s because they may have a speech impediment like Quirell or their teeth get in the way or they have an accent.”

So he could read lips! She thought so.

“Then how does he pay attention in class?” Hermione asked, could he understand her? “It is that necklace?” Her teeth were a little big she knew but her parents didn’t want her to get braces yet. 

“The amulet” Harry nodded, holding up the necklace he was wearing. “If you speak, Ron can hear it in his head,” he explained. “But Hermione, why don’t you just ask Ron these things?” he asked.

“He doesn’t like me very much,” Hermione said. 

“And whose fault is that?” Hermione turned to find Ron’s brothers, Fred and George Weasley behind her. “You and he just got off on the wrong foot, I bet,” Fred suggested.

“If you want to be friends with Ron you’ve got to make the effort to be his friend. Ron doesn’t make time for anyone unwilling to put up the work” George added. 

“What do you mean by that?” Hermione asked. 

“Harry gets to spends lots of time with the amulet because Ron lets him and Ron’s not just going to give everyone the amulet,” Fred said. 

“Listen up firsties, I know a lot of you have been looking at Ron curiously. And why wouldn’t you, if we’re funny then Ron’s bound to be hilarious. When in Rome you do as the Romans do, hm?” George grinned. Neville, Seamus, and other Gryffindor first years turned at the announcement. 

“So, you want us to learn sign language?” Neville asked. 

“You don’t have to be perfect but Ron’s got a soft spot for anyone asking to learn just to talk to him,” Fred explained “also, just speaking to him goes a long way as well, he can read lips, you silly first years” they both laughed. 

“What?! This whole time?” Neville asked. 

“I would have talked to him ages ago if I knew” Seamus sighed. 

XXX

Ron was checking out books on nonverbal spell techniques at the library when Harry met him as he was leaving. They walked to the great hall for dinner and as Ron sat down, he noticed several first years were eyeing him. 

He met Neville’s gaze who was one of them and raised an eyebrow “sorry about that, um, it’s that we’ve never spoken before. I’m Neville Longbottom, by the way” he said. 

Ron cocked his head wondering what brought this on but dismissed it “I know, you’ve never really tried to speak to me either” he wrote with his wand quickly. 

“Yeah, we um came to a really ridiculous realization yesterday” Seamus spoke, joining in. 

“Like?” Ron connected eyes with Harry.

“Like?” Harry parroted “the amulet allows Ron to talk me in my head.”

“Brilliant, uh, nobody knew you could read lips until your brothers mentioned it” Neville flushed.

Ron laughed and everyone around him was a little startled and their eyes went round. “I’m only Deaf, my vocal cords work perfectly,” he told to Harry who conveyed the sentiment to them. 

“Then why don’t you speak?” Seamus asked.

“I can’t hear my voice so my pronunciation of words isn’t good, I probably sound really stupid so I don’t like to speak” Ron explained. Truthfully he hadn’t really spoken since he was about 6 years old. 

“Sounds like why I don’t get on a broom,” Neville said.

Ron nodded “might get tricky, we have flying lessons soon” he added.

“Oh no,” Neville moaned.

“Maybe the broom can sense your fear” Ron spelled out with his wand and they all laughed.

Turned out, like the other first years wondered, Ron was a riot. He was always seemed to find a punch line. The next day, it was finally time for flying lessons. Hermione Granger looked as scared as Neville did. 

Of course, Ron didn’t think there was anything to worry about, it’s not like this was Beater Quidditch tryouts. Except, it was not fine because Neville’s broom went nuts. Ron had never seen a broom act like that, but before he could ponder anything Malfoy happened. 

Ron tried to tell Harry it wasn’t worth it but he was already off to get it back. Harry was a natural on a broom, he’d be a good Quidditch player for sure and then did that dive. If Ron could he would have shouted and cheered along with everyone else. Until McGonagall came out. 

Ron paced in the common room after class waiting for Harry to return. As soon he got there he started to sign then remembered Harry didn’t understand. Ron put the amulet around Harry’s neck “you’re not being expelled, are you?” he asked desperately. 

Harry shook his head “no, actually Ron, I’ve been offered a place on the Quidditch team” he said. Ron’s mouth went slack. 

“You must be the youngest seeker in a century,” Ron said, thinking the words as loud as he possibly could. His anxiety was quickly replaced by excitement. 

“Yeah, I’m not supposed to tell anyone though, so shh” Harry made the gesture for the secret. Ron rolled his eyes.

“I won’t say anything” Ron joked and Harry laughed.

XXX

Ron figured Malfoy be a glutton for punishment the way he kept coming back for more every time somebody put him in his place. Harry shouldn’t have excepted a duel though he of course snuck out with Harry to support him all the same. 

“This isn’t a good idea,” Hermione had come along to talk them out of it. Ron wished there was a way to duplicate the amulet so he could tell Hermione to shut up himself. As it was dark, the only thing he could do is that Harry would relate to him what she said and vice versa. It wasn’t doing them any good. 

“Harry, Malfoy’s a coward he probably won’t even show,” Ron said in his head and he wished he hadn’t guessed so correctly because Malfoy wasn’t there. Then Filch and his bloody cat show up. 

They ran down the corridor up the stairs and get to a door that’s locked. Hermione casts a charm on the door that unlocks it and they run in. Their breath hitched and gaped as a massive dog with three heads wakes and start to bark at them and they run out.

Back in the safety of the Gryffindor common room, they take the time to breathe. “What’s a Cerberus doing in a castle full of students?” Ron spelled out, huffing. 

“Is that what that thing is called?” Harry asked. 

“Didn’t you guys see what it was laying on?” Hermione asked.

Ron gave her a flat look then held three fingers and then placed his hand on his head. Signing for ‘Three heads.”

“Yes I see that it had three heads but it was laying on a trap door, it was guarding something,” Hermione said then sighed. “I’m going to bed now before you two find another way to get us killed, or worse, expelled,”

Ron rolled his eyes “that girl needs to sort out her priorities” he said with the amulet and Harry nodded. 

XXX

Ron was finally getting the hang of doing spells nonverbally, learning that how you swished the wand and the intent was most important. Despite Harry and a lot of other students bemoaning about essays, he found them much better than spells. 

It helped to clear his head, not that he liked doing homework, he’d just rather get it over with than let it sit and pile up. Most of it was pretty simple as well especially since he was exempt from History of Magic as a class since Binn’s couldn’t put on the amulet. 

Ron still had to do essays once a week for the private studies he did of history but otherwise, it was simple work. He rather liked it since he could get more practice of wand work in that way. 

Potions was a little trickier of a class, not because Snape refused to wear the amulet because he did so grudgingly but because Ron had to work harder than anyone to be acknowledged. Malfoy was in that class and he knew if he didn’t work and failed then he knew he would be taunted. 

He could ignore that, what he couldn’t ignore was the idea of an affirmation that he was as useless as so many witches and wizards claimed. Like not having a voice meant he was someone to be pitied. 

Ron was getting frustrated though, with how many spells he finally got the hang of, it seemed like Hermione Granger learned five more. He wasn’t in a great mood on Halloween, he was stressed with staying up so late studying and then having to wake up early. 

So he admitted it was stupid that he blew up at Granger, she just wanted to have friends. He wrote furiously, irritated he couldn’t just sign and shoved it at her then marched away. 

Granger never came to the feast and someone said she was in the girl's bathroom crying and Ron stared at his plate suddenly not hungry anymore. Ron stood “I need to apologize,” he said through Harry. 

Harry nodded then opened his mouth when Quirrel ran in screaming something that Ron couldn’t hear or see. Everyone went nuts then and Ron looked to Harry “trolls in the dungeon, he said” Harry said. 

“Hermione!” Ron thought to Harry and they both ran off to find her. They skidded to a stop to see the troll walking into the dungeon. They ran in to find Hermione under the sink and Harry screamed to move and troll smashed through the sink. 

Then Harry jumped to stop the troll and ended up hanging upside down by his leg. “Do something!” Harry shouted. 

“What?” he thought. 

“Anything!” he said. 

Ron looked around then pointed his wand and performed ‘wingardium leviosa.’ The troll’s club levitated of his hand and onto his head and the troll’s body hit the floor. Harry retrieved his wand from up its nose. Ron stiffened when Professor McGonagall and Snape came in. 

Ron and Harry looked at each other to attempt an explanation when Hermione stepped up “it was my idea professor” she said. Surprisingly it worked gaining them house points, Ron and Harry smiled and went on to Gryffindor common room with Hermione.

They got back and Hermione started to walk away before Ron caught her hand. She turned to him. Ron held out his hand to Harry who took off the amulet then waved as he went upstairs to the boy's dormitory. Ron let go of her hand and put the amulet around the neck. 

“Hello,” he said. 

Hermione’s eyes widened “hello,” she said in her head, looking like she was concentrating very hard. 

“You can just talk, that’s Harry does,” Ron said. 

“Oh,” Hermione reddened. 

“I wanted to apologize about earlier, that was really harsh of me. The result of me being in a bad mood and taking it out on you,” Ron explained. 

“But it was true wasn’t it? That I don’t have any friends because I’m a know it all” Hermione said. 

“No, I think it’s a good thing to be smart but not everyone wants a reminder all the time. People want a friend, not a parent and to be honest, I’m jealous of you” Ron said. 

“Really? Why?” Hermione asked. 

“Well, you manage to figure out things quickly and faster than me. I have to try harder than you to even manage the simplest spells,” Ron said. 

“Maybe we’re both a little jealous of each other then, I envy that people like you who make friends so easily” Hermione explained. 

“I just don’t insult people the minute I meet them and well, you can be my friend if you want to be. Harry breathes kindness so he’ll be your friend too” he said. 

“Okay” she agreed, “if you want my help with spells...” she said. 

“That’s alright, if I really need it I’ll ask but if I ask for help all the time I’ll wonder if I really deserve to be here,” he said. 

“Why wouldn’t you be here?” Hermione asked. 

Ron smiled, it was nice that she wasn’t thinking the prejudiced accusation he’d felt since he was 6 and went to the Ministry with dad. “Hermione, what’s a wizard's most important tool in using magic?” Ron asked. 

“Your wand, no, the spell,” she said. 

“I’m basically a cripple here, Hermione, nonverbal magic is really hard,” he explained “even trained Aurors have a hard time doing it, people who are born Deaf or mute usually give up magic entirely,” he said. 

Hermione shook her head “ridiculous, the fact that you could do that spell under pressure like tonight is amazing. Let me help you, I promise that whatever you accomplish then we just study partners. In return, you can teach me sign language” she said. 

“Get in line” Ron rolled his eyes “Harry’s first and pretty soon all of Gryffindor's first years are gonna want to learn how to annoy me,” he said. 

Hermione laughed “then I’ll go find your brothers?” she asked. 

“Percy, ask Fred and George and they’ll more likely tell you that this means hello” he made a V on his forehead “it means stupid,” he said.

“Noted, but how about when you teach Harry then you can teach me at the same time,” she said. 

“Sure” he agreed. 

“Thanks, good night Ron,” she said then handed him the amulet. Ron gave her an outward fist with his thumb up then made a motion of two hands chopping down together. “Good night?” she asked and he nodded then turned to walk up to bed.

XXX

Hermione and Harry were learning to sign fast, Hermione determined to know absolutely everything about how to sign even going as far as to learn what Ron’s sign name was which Ron blushed and signed “ruler.”

“So how do you come up with a sign name?” Hermione asked, signing slowly though she looked a little impatient that she couldn’t sign fast. She and Harry had to trade off on the amulet depending on who was with him. 

“Depends, they’re usually names that describe the person's features. But in my family, we all are pretty similar so our names either take on the meaning of our name or some inside joke. Mine comes from the meaning of my name” he explained, signing as he did so that Harry and Hermione could follow. 

“Could you give us sign names?” Harry asked and signed. 

Ron smiled then nodded thinking, he stared at Harry then figured he’d call Harry “treasure” to substitute gem since his eyes were an emerald green. He held up his hands like he was holding something important between his thumb and the other four fingers and held it to his chest. 

“Treasure,” he said then repeated it once more and Harry blushed and copied him. “Your eyes,” he told Hermione who relayed this to him, Harry nodded. He turned to Hermione, his first thought was to use the sign of intelligence but it wasn’t as simple. He liked the word for beauty better, he brought his fingers together with one hand toward his mouth then brought it outward with his hand like he was giving it Hermione. “Beauty, glory,” he said in her head. 

Hermione blushed and beamed at the same time “what a group we make, beauty, treasure, and ruler” she signed to Ron and spoke. 

Ron smiled, nodding then continued to teach them some signs. 

Xxx

Quidditch season began with a rather interesting turn of events. A broomstick caused Harry to nearly break all of his bones and he still ended up catching the snitch. Hermione seemed dead sure that it had been Snape who’d enchanted the broom. 

Ron ended up writing a letter to Bill detailing everything that happened that day with the behavior of the broomstick. First, three-headed dogs now cursed broomsticks, what next? Man-eating vines?

He sighed walking back from the owlery, it would take a while to hear back from Bill but it might be useful to hear anything more than what they could find from textbooks. Why would someone want to curse a broomstick, anyway? And why Harry.

XXX

“I can’t find anything” Hermione signed.

“Nothing” Ron replied, placing his thumb and pointer together leaving his other fingers free and waved his hand back and forth once.

“Maybe it’s in the restricted section” Harry suggested.

“Yeah, maybe but there’s no way Madam Pince wouldn’t catch us” Ron reminded him.

“Too fast,” Harry said and Ron repeated the signs for 'catch' and then for 'librarian' for him. 

Xxx

When Christmas break came around, Hermione went home and Harry and Ron stayed. Ron couldn’t believe Harry had never gotten a proper present before, actually, he was a bit ticked off about it. That his muggle aunts and uncles were so horribly cruel to him when Harry was clearly very kind when he had every reason not to be.  
He grinned when Harry got a Weasley sweater “we all get one every year” he said. 

“Awesome” Harry signed, beaming as he put on his sweater. The invisibility cloak was a shock, Ron’s first instinct was to sign excitedly about it but Harry blinked then signed “too fast.”

“Oh sorry,” he thought then signed and spoke with the amulet “that’s an invisibility cloak, they’re really rare!” he said. 

“Maybe… this could help us sneak into the restricted section in the library” Harry suggested. Ron nodded signing “sneak out tonight then,” he paused “although I think it might be better for you to go alone. Less risky than for both of us to go” he explained. 

Harry nodded in agreement.

The mirror of Erised was a wonder when Harry ran into the room begging Ron to come to see it. Ron didn’t quite understand what he was looking at. It was him with his family and they were speaking to him and he was talking back to them. They weren’t signing but talking to him and he wore a head boy badge.

He relayed this to Harry who frowned “that’s not what I see, I saw my parents.

Ron looked at the mirror again “then maybe it shows you what you want or something,” he suggested. “I’m sorry, Harry” he signed.

“It’s alright, Ron… I was wondering. Magic can’t… can’t fix your...” Harry hesitated.

He shook his head “can’t fix something that wasn’t right in the first place. It can regrow a heart and most organs, can mend a bone, and all the other stuff but say I was born without a leg or an arm. Well, you can’t get what you never had” he shrugged.

“So you’ve never had your hearing?” Harry asked, signing slowly as he spoke.

“Never, well it’s not that bad of a loss. I’ll never get sent a howler by my mum, wouldn’t be any use if I can’t hear it” Ron said with a smile.

“I’m sorry, well, I think you're brilliant anyway,” Harry signed and Ron’s smile grew into a grin.

“Thanks, Harry.”

Xxx

After Christmas Break ended and everyone returned to Hogwarts Ron, Harry, and Hermione spent more time in the library trying to figure out just who this Nicholas Flamel was. The answer came to them unexpectedly as Ron stood abruptly dropping his chocolate frog which leaped away from the table. 

“What is it?” Hermione paused and Ron handed her the chocolate frog card and she read it, her eyes going wide. “Oh! Of course!” she ran off and came back with a large book then flipped through furiously until she landed on one page.

“The philosopher’s stone,” Harry said and Hermione clapped a hand over his mouth and made a ‘shush’ gesture. “Then that’s what Fluffy’s guarding and what Snape wants,” he said lower once he removed her hand. 

Xxx

Disaster happened when they tried to track down Snape but instead Harry found Quirrel instead. Ron received a slight concussion from the chess set from Hell and Harry, thank goodness, was alright. 

Ron pulled Harry into a tight hug when he finally woke up “I am so happy you're okay” Ron signed quickly not even bothering with the 2nd amulet. 

“The same for me, you hit your head pretty hard. Your okay now?” Harry asked. 

“Fine, just need to take it easy. Not allowed to read. A loss!” Ron smirked and Harry laughed. 

“Sounds awful, unable to do homework,” Harry agreed.

XXX

The three of them stood on the platform “I promise to practice my sign over the summer, alright Ron? Just you wait, I’ll be able to sign as fast as your brothers soon,” Hermione said with the amulet on her chest. 

“Good, you’ll write to me too?” Ron asked signing as he did. He learned to do it even when they had the amulet. It was good sight practice for his friends.

“Of course,” Hermione said “I’ll write to you both every week so look for my letters okay?” she said. “Oh, that’s my parents” she hugged Harry and then Ron. 

“My amulet!” Ron said and she paused, a little pink, then lifted it off her head handing it to Ron.

“See you!” she waved at them. 

“She’s gonna floor you in sign next year. Better pick up the pace,” Ron said once he put the amulet on Harry again. 

“Yeah, maybe I can see if I can go to a library for books or something,” Harry said. “Well, I better go find my Uncle and Aunt soon.” He handed Ron the amulet who pocketed it. 

Ron pulled him into a hug “bye Harry,” Harry gasped when he heard Ron speak. Truly speak.

“I thought you don’t like to speak?” Harry asked.

“If it’s you or Hermione, I wouldn’t mind learning,” Ron signed, his face going very red. “Shut up,” he signed quickly as Harry gaped at him. 

“I’ll see you then,” Harry said cheerfully. 

“Bye,” Ron said, whispered but audible. 

Ron felt like if it was Harry and Hermione who heard him, who wouldn’t make fun of him if he sounded strange, then he wouldn’t mind trying to speak to them. After all, they did work hard to speak to him. For once in his life, he had friends.

**Author's Note:**

> I debated for a long time if I should post this fic, it's really just a typical Ron's deaf sort of rehash. But it wouldn't stop bugging me, a few things change. Ron's insecurity is no longer focused on being different. It's more to do with his disability and needing to prove to everyone that he can do anything other wizards can.
> 
> He wouldn't speak before of some awful wizards who thought it was a good idea to talk down to a 6-year-old boy. That was an important time in his life that fueled his fire to prove he could do magic.
> 
> Let me know how this went, I know it's not as detailed as my usual but I think it went well.


End file.
